Acta Phytopathologica et Entomologica Hungarica 43 (2), pp.

367–372 (2008)
DOI: 10.1556/APhyt.43.2008.2.21

Introduction to the Probable Movement

of Thysanoptera through the Moravian Gate
(Štramberk, Czech Republic)

W. SIERKA1*, E. SIERKA2 and P. J. FEDOR3

1
Department of Zoology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia,
Bankowa 9, 40-007 Katowice, Poland
2
Department of Geobotany and Nature Protection, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection,
University of Silesia, Jagiellonska 28, 40-032 Katowice, Poland
3
Department of Ecosozology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Mlynská dolina,
842 15 Bratislava, Slovakia

(Received: 4 March 2008; accepted: 6 June 2008)

In the area of the Moravian Gate at Štramberk (Moravia, Czech Republic) detailed field investigations
of Thysanoptera were conducted. The Gate offers the possibility of dispersal of thrips species from the South to
the North and vice versa. A total of 359 samples were collected, from which 2367 adult specimens of
Thysanoptera belonging to 55 species were obtained. Between them are species having their main distribution
in the Southern parts of Europe, such as Aptinothrips elegans, Anaphothrips atroapterus, A. euphorbiae, Chi-
rothrips aculeatus, Limothrips consimilis, Neohydatothrips abnormis, Rubiothrips pillichi, R. validus and
Theilopedothrips pilosus. Additionally species were found that are absent or dispersed in Southern Europe, such
as Aptinothrips stylifer, Chirothrips hamatus, Odontothrips loti and Platythrips tunicatus. In ancient times these
species may have used the Moravian Gate, which has been passed by large armies and many traders (the amber
route), carrying all kinds of plant products with them.

Keywords: thrips, Thysanoptera, Štramberk, the Czech Republic, Moravian Gate.

Dispersal of insects, including representatives of the Thysanoptera, to new areas is

a complex process. In Central Europe spreading of thrips has been connected for thousands
of years with wars and food trade.
In all likelihood (Moritz, 2006), the expansion of certain thrips species (e.g. Thrips
tabaci Lindeman) was facilitated by transportation of food supplies (fruit, vegetables, onion,
garlic) by Roman legions during their expeditions. Geographical barriers, e.g. the Pyre-
nees and the Alps, were crossed by the Carthaginian army commanded by Hannibal. The
large number of wars that took place during the last two thousand years not only made it
easier for plagues and diseases to spread, but also offered a chance for thrips to move to new
territories. Equally important for this process were the ancient trade routes, e.g. the amber
route, silk route and incense route. Trade guilds like Hansa, which exchanged goods be-
tween the Eastern and Western Europe, also contributed for centuries to the spreading of
thrips. Especially the Amber Route and the Silk Route played a very important role in this
process. As one of the waterways and ancient highways, for centuries the road led from Eu-
rope to Asia and back, and from northern Europe to the Mediterranean. In Roman times, a
main route ran south from the Baltic coast in Prussia through the land of the Boii (modern
* Corresponding author; e-mail: wojciech.sierka@gmail.com

0238–1249/$ 20.00 © 2008 Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest

368 Sierka et al.: Movement of Thysanoptera in Moravian Gate

Bohemia) to the head of the Adriatic Sea. The Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun had Baltic
amber among his burial goods, and amber was sent from the North Sea to the temple of
Apollo at Delphi as an offering. From the Black Sea, trade could continue to Asia along the
Silk Road, another ancient trade route.
The problem of migration of thrips is extremely interesting, especially nowadays.
Thysanoptera are important factors in the global economy and their presence in agrocenoses
is often highly detrimental. The globalisation of the economy and transportation of food on
a global scale have enabled some thrips species to penetrate new environments. Dangers in-
volved in this process have resulted in some species being placed on European quarantine
lists (e.g. Thrips palmi Karny) (Loomans and Vierbergen, 1997). Moreover, the process of
colonisation of new areas by particular species still remains obscure, as do the precise route
of migration and the genesis of particular thysanopterofaunas.
From ancient times, the Moravian Gate formed a natural pass between the Sudetes
and the Carpathians and it is an important ecological corridor on a European scale (Parusel,
1997). It forms a depression between the Western Carpathians and the Eastern Sudetes,
and the watershed between the upper Odra and Be∞va rivers. It stretches from Moravia
north-eastward, towards Silesia, for about 65 km. It is bordered by the confluence of the
Olza and Odra rivers in the north (Gacka-Grze∑kiewicz, 1995). Here ran the most impor-
tant trade routes from southern Europe to the Baltic Sea (e.g. the Amber Road), and also
routes from Lesser Poland to Czech lands. The Gate may have played a vital role in the ex-
pansion of thrips within and through this area. The role of the Moravian Gate manifests it-
self in various ways. Some of them are listed below:
– the area where plants and animals from the Sudeten Mts and the Carpathian Mts
come in touch and spread, e.g. to the upland and lowland areas of Poland (Szafer,
1977; Zajác, 1996),
– the area through which taxa from the South can migrate to the North, to Poland (and
farther) and into the interior of the Czech Republic,
– the area through which colonial cultures with thrips can move from the North to the
South, e.g. Limothrips denticornis Haliday, L. cerealium Haliday and Thrips tabaci.
The aim of this study is to detect species of Thysanoptera in the area of the Mora-
vian Gate in the Czech Republic, which may have passed trough the Gate to the North or
to the South in ancient times.

Materials and Methods

Study area
The area of investigation is located in the neighborhood of the Moravian Gate,
(Moravia, the Czech Republic), more specifically at Štramberk. This is a small mountain
town in the middle of the Štramberská vrchovina (Highland), stretching across slopes of
Zámecký kopec, Kotou∞, Bílá hora, Libotínské vrchy and ≠ervený kámen, along the
foothills of the Beskydy Mts., called “Moravian Bethlehem” for its picturesqueness.

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 Sierka et al.: Movement of Thysanoptera in Moravian Gate 369

Collecting and identification

This study was conducted during several stays in Štramberk (spring 2005, summer
and autumn 2006). Insects were collected within the entire area around the town in plots
of varying habitats, with an entomological sweep net. Moreover, flower feeding and leaf
feeding species were collected over the entire area by shaking plants over a plastic tray, with
the help of a sack, or by placing selected shoots in sacks and collecting insects which left
the withering plant material.
Thrips were stored in AGA fluid. For mounting thrips on slides the Bisevac (1997)
method was used. Specimens were identified on the basis of Schliephake and Klimt (1979)
as well as zur Strassen (2003). The specimens are stored in the Department of Zoology, Uni-
versity of Silesia, Poland.

Results
A total of 359 samples were collected, from which 2367 adult specimens of
Thysanoptera were obtained – 1484 of the family Thripidae and 883 of the family
Phlaeothripidae. From the qualitative point of view, they were classified as 55 species (49
of Thripidae and 6 of Phlaeothripidae, Table 1). This makes up a large part of the total
number of species thrips recorded from the Czech Republic (Pelikán, 1952, 1954, 1957,
1960, 1961, 1965). Because of geographical preferences and thermal profiles among rec-
ognized species, special attention should be devoted to thrips connected with dry places
(distribution and host plant range after zur Strassen, 2003):
– Anaphothrips atroapterus Priesner – xerothermophilous, in dry areas, on dry sprouts
of species of Euphorbia, especially E. cyparissias and E. gerardiana. At Štramberk
on E. cyparissias and Bromus ramosus.
– Anaphothrips euphorbiae Uzel – xerothermophilous, in Central Europe only on
warm islands, on various Euphorbia spp., especially E. amygdaloides, E. cyparissias
and E. esula. At Štramberk on Euphorbia cyparissias.
– Aptinothrips elegans Priesner – Ponto-Mediterranean, also in areas with mild cli-
mate in Central Europe, also in South Sweden and South Norway; thermophilous,
on various species of grass (Poaceae). At Štramberk on Euphorbia virgata and Ono-
nis arvensis.
– Chirothrips aculeatus Bagnall – West Palaearctic; thermophilous, on various grasses,
especially Avena, many species of Bromus and on Lolium. At Štramberk on Bromus
squarosus, Poa crassipes and Lolium temulentum.
– Limothrips consimilis Priesner – Eurosiberian; xerophilous and thermophilous,
graminicolous, on various grasses, especially on Bromus erectus. At Štramberk on
Inula alicina, Bromus erectus and Ononis arvensis.
– Neohydatothrips abnormis (Karny) – European, in xerothermophilous places; on
Astragalus and other Fabaceae. At Štramberk on Genista tinctoria, Astragalus ono-
brychis and Antylis vulneraria.

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370 Sierka et al.: Movement of Thysanoptera in Moravian Gate

Table 1
List of thrips species collected at Štramberk (Moravia, Czech Republic) in the area of the Moravian Gate
Aeolothripidae Odontothrips confusus Priesner
Aeolothrips albicinctus Haliday Odontothrips loti (Haliday)
Aeolothrips ericae Bagnall Odontothrips phaleratus (Haliday)
Aeolothrips fasciatus (Linnaeus) Oxythrips ajugae Uzel
Aeolothrips intermedius Bagnall Oxythrips bicolor (Reuter)
Aeolothrips versicolor Uzel Pezothrips dianthi (Priesner)
Aeolothrips vittatus Haliday Platythrips tunicatus (Haliday)
Thripidae Rubiothrips ferrugineus (Uzel)
Anaphothrips atroapterus Priesner Rubiothrips pillichi (Priesner)
Anaphothrips euphorbiae Uzel Rubiothrips validus Karny
Anaphothrips obscurus (Müller) Stenothrips graminum Uzel
Aptinothrips elegans Priesner Theilopedothrips pilosus (Uzel)
Aptinothrips rufus Haliday Thrips angusticeps Uzel
Aptinothrips stylifer Trybom Thrips atratus Priesner
Baliothrips dispar (Haliday) Thrips euphorbiae Knechtel
Bolacothrips jordani Uzel Thrips flavus Schrank
Chirothrips aculeatus Bagnall Thrips fuscipennis Haliday
Chirothrips hamatus Bagnall Thrips major Uzel
Chirothrips manicatus Haliday Thrips physapus Linnaeus
Dendrothrips degeeri Uzel Thrips tabaci Lindeman
Dendrothrips saltatrix Uzel Thrips trehernei Priesner
Frankliniella intonsa (Trybom) Thrips validus Uzel
Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) Phlaeothripidae
Iridothrips iridis (Watson) Haplothrips acanthoscelis Karny
Limothrips cerealium Haliday Haplothrips aculeatus (Fabricius)
Limothrips consimilis Priesner Haplothrips dianthinus Priesner
Limothrips denticornis Haliday Haplothrips leucanthemi (Schrank)
Neohydatothrips abnormis (Karny) Haplothrips setiger Priesner
Neohydatothrips gracilicornis (Williams) Hoplandrothrips williamsianus Priesner

– Rubiothrips pillichi (Priesner) – thermophilous, mainly on Galium glaucum, also G.

odoratum and G. silvaticum. In Štramberk on Galium verum and Knautia dipsaci-
folia.
– Rubiothrips validus Karny – thermophilous, on Galium odoratum, G. palustre and
G. silvaticum. At Štramberk on Galium spurium and Campanula moravica.

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 Sierka et al.: Movement of Thysanoptera in Moravian Gate 371

– Theilopedothrips pilosus (Uzel) – European; thermophilous, in grassy areas, semi-

dry and dry grasses. In Štramberk on Trifolium arvense, T. fragiferum and Vicia
dumetorum.
Apart from the above-mentioned species, it is worth noting some species that are
absent in Southern Europe (distribution and host plant range after zur Strassen,
2003):
– Aptinothrips stylifer Trybom – Holarctic species, particularly in moderate latitudes,
to an altitude of 3800 m, originally Palaearctic, introduced several times into other
continents; sciophilous, on many grasses (Poaceae). In the study area on Alopecurus
pratensis.
– Chirothrips hamatus Bagnall – European (excluding Southern part), introduced into
Northern America; usually in moist places, particularly on Alopecurus pratensis. At
Štramberk on Bromus squarrosus.
– Odontothrips loti (Haliday) – Palaearctic (except the Southern parts), introduced
into North America, polyphagous on many Fabaceae, with preference for Anthyllis,
Coronilla, Genista, Lotus, Ononis and Trifolium. In the study area on Trifolium fra-
giferum.
– Platythrips tunicatus (Haliday) – European (except the Southern part), grassy areas
and meadows, on various species of Galium, especially G. mollugo. At Štramberk on
Galium spurium and Lunaria rediviva.

Discussion and Conclusions

Migration of thrips is connected with individual dispersal and the effective dynam-
ics of particular populations. Characteristic patterns of occurrence depend on the relative
position of organisms, which can be single, relatively accidental (e.g. L. denticornis), regu-
lar (e.g. mass outbreaks of T. tabaci on crops of the cucumber in the glasshouse), or aggre-
gational (e.g. Suocerathrips linguis Mound and Marullo) (Moritz, 2006).
In the area of Štramberk, a botanic garden and arboretum are situated on the south-
ern slope of the former limestone pit called Dolní Kamenárka. Calcicole and thermophilous
plants represent a major portion of the garden. The bottom part of the garden is occupied
by a unique limestone fen abundant in water- and swamp-plants. Species classified as hy-
grophilous thrips were reported, e.g. C. hamatus, Baliothrips dispar (Haliday) and Iri-
dothrips iridis (Watson).
The intensified European internal and external exchange of products, among others
tobacco and potatoes, coincided with the gradual discovery of the New World. Gigantic
forwarding airplanes for the global transfer of plants resulted in phenomena defined as in-
sect invasion, e.g. of Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande). Within the space of about 25
years F. occidentalis, also found in the study material, became a megastar among thrips,
with the highest number of web pages on the internet of all thrips species. Passive spread
and active dispersal are practically inseparable among thrips, mainly because aerial turbu-
lence and strong winds make the transfer of insects possible across hundreds to thousands

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372 Sierka et al.: Movement of Thysanoptera in Moravian Gate

of kilometers. In the material of the Alpine fauna, Pelikán (1996) found 35 species of thrips
at altitudes above 1850 m, 24 – above 2000 m, and two wingless species of Aptinothrips
above 3000 m. In reference to some species of thrips (e.g. Hoplandrothrips williamsianus
Priesner) the term aerial plankton is used (Schliephake and Klimt, 1979). The size and the
position of the Moravian Gate influence the local circulation of air masses and allow thrips
to become part of the aerial plankton, so it should not be surprising that H. williamsianus
was reported from this study.
Further research conducted with different sampling methods may produce informa-
tion about other species inhabiting the vicinity of the Moravian Gate.

Acknowledgement
The authors thank Dr. P. Pavlik from Štramberk for inspiration as well as the use of his quarry.

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